This invention pertains to a balance apparatus, and in particular to such a balance apparatus that provide an individual the means of shifting his or her weight to maintain balance and, at the same time, provide a range of motions to be experienced in snowboard activities.
There are a whole host of balance devices on the market today. Examples of these devices are the United States Patents issued to Stanley Washburn, Jr. for a Roller Board Device U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,411 on Sep. 25, 1956 and to Barry Mendelson for a Teeter Board Device, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,852 on Dec. 7, 1976. Both of these devices show units that have a roller base section over which a board is positioned. The individual using these devices will center the board over the roller base and use his or her skills to try to maintain their balance by shifting their weight over the roller.
What is needed, though, is a balance device that provides the individuals with a full range of motion that they can experience in snowboarding, which is to say one where turns can be accomplished during balancing motions.
The difficulties that are inherent in other designed balance devices and should be overcome include the following: they are limited in the range of motions that they can provide; they also have structural limitations which would provide stability problems and limits of motion brought on by the structure of those devices.
Clearly, it is desirable for a balance apparatus to provide a full range of motion similar to snowboarding, while remaining simple and easy to use whether indoor or out. It is the object of this invention to set forth a snowboard simulator balance apparatus which avoids the disadvantages and limitations, above-recited, which occur in previous balance devices.